2012 Friday Workshops

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2012 Friday Workshops

Workshop Schedule with Descriptions

All sessions will take place at the Rhode Island Convention Center, easily accessed by a skybridge from our host hotel, The Westin Providence. When you enter the Center from the skybridge you will be on the Third Level where you will find the HLAA Convention Registration Desk and our Exhibit Hall (Hall C). Workshops and large sessions, along with the Demo Room, will be located on the Fifth Level. Workshops are grouped by “education track” (or topic). The four education tracks for Convention 2012 are:

Research Symposium: How the Brain Makes Sense of the World of Sound

Summary:
This symposium will explain the major properties of auditory processing by exploring research on the brain’s ability to encode stimuli from simple tones and to the elements of human speech and music. Embedded in the discussions will be an account of how the representation of speech within the brain breaks down with sensorineural hearing loss.

1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

FCC Update: CVAA and More

Summary:
This presentation will bring attendees up to date on the FCC’s efforts to address disability issues over the past year, including its newest efforts to implement the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. These include new requirements for closed captioning on programs delivered over Internet protocol, access to Internet-based communications services and devices, and the distribution of communications equipment to low income persons who are deaf-blind, as well as proposals for accessible emergency communications.

Loop de Loop: Getting the Most from Your Telecoil in the Home

Presenter:
Brad Ingrao, Au.D., a consultant for the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Hearing Enhancement at Gallaudet University

Summary:
The “Let’s Loop America” movement has raised awareness of the accessibility power of the telecoil. While large area systems are great, they don’t help in the home. This workshop will describe several inductance systems. In addition, a panel of consumerexperts will describe some real-world examples of how personal and small area inductance loops are re-connecting them and their friends to the world.

Presenter:
Tina Childress, CCC-A, an educational audiologist with the Urbana School District #116 in Illinois

Summary:
Just because you have a hearing aid and/or cochlear implant, doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy activities like playing sports or enjoying the water. There are ways to protect your hearing instrument investment as well as use them to their maximum potential. You will learn about how to keep your device on and safe, how to protect it from water and debris, tips for communication and also precautions, such as helmet selection.

Presenter:
Geoff Plant, president of Hearing Rehabilitation Foundation and rehabilitation specialist for MED-EL

Summary:
Auditory training is designed to assist adults with hearing loss to develop better listening skills for use in everyday life. This presentation will focus on the provision of 1:1 training and will present several case studies to demonstrate the range of activities used and the effects of training.

2:45 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Medicare Made Clear – Understanding Your Medicare Options

Summary:
Choosing the right Medicare plan is a daunting yet very important task that takes preparation because Medicare can be confusing. This session will explain Medicare basics, eligibility, what Medicare covers and what it is does not cover. The ABC’s (and D) of Medicare will be explained, and there will be ample time for questions and answers.

Summary:
For the CI user, taking ownership of the continued success of the CI experience is a personal responsibility. Although CI clinics offer some training immediately after activation, what about ongoing listening training to assist with continued learning? This workshop offers suggestions, resources, tips and tricks, etc. to assist the CI user in “the how’s” of using available technology, media, websites and more to help in continuing a lifelong journey of success with their CI.

Bilateral Cochlear Implant Experience

Room: 552 AB

Moderator:
Wayne Roorda, IT Specialist with the U.S. Department of Defense; bi-lateral cochlear implant user

Summary:
Hearing the stories of individuals in their journey to regain hearing is an awesome experience. It is especially important for those who have only one cochlear implant as well as those who do not yet have a cochlear implant to see, hear, and meet these individuals who are bilateral.

A panel of six individuals will represent the three FDA approved cochlear implant manufacturers.

A set of questions will be asked of each of the panel members. Examples of the types of questions which will be asked . . .

State your name and where you are from, city, state

Which device do you have?

How long have you been bilateral?4. What prompted you to go bilateral?

Audience participation will be an important part of this presentation.

Hard of Hearing and Exceptional: Landing the Job and Achieving Career Success

Summary:
In tough financial times, starting a new career, or changing jobs can be a scary prospect. The experience can be doubly challenging for those of us with hearing loss. This workshop will explore interviewing skills and disclosure of your accommodation needs; basic career advancement strategies; attitudes and actions necessary for achieving high level results while coping with hearing loss; and how hearing loss is an “Exceptional Experience”, making one uniquely qualified to excel in any field.